ESPN College Football

A trend has developed in the last two weeks on the Top 25 Big Board. After a number of weeks with significant changes, the board has taken a distinct form of late, with only one new player jumping into the top 25 for the first time this year.

That player is Michigan wide receiver Jason Avant. He has been productive, consistent and shows the ability to make highlight-reel catches. The key to whether Avant is a first-round pick in the 2006 draft will boil down to his 40-yard dash time.

Another Wolverine, defensive tackle Gabe Watson, has been in and out of the top 25 board all season. Blessed with superior physical ability, Watson's play on the field doesn't always wow you. However, he's coming off a solid effort against Iowa last Saturday, recording six tackles and two sacks.

This past week, nearly all of the top 25 prospects on the board came through with strong performances. Memphis running back DeAngelo Williams continues to post eye-catching rushing totals, even though he's running behind a mediocre offensive line. Against East Carolina, Williams accounted for 226 rushing yards, carrying the ball a career-high 39 times. That's the fourth time this season he's picked up over 200 yards in a game. Williams leads the nation in rushing, averaging 187 yards per game.

Louisville defensive end Elvis Dumervil continues to harass opposing quarterbacks on a regular basis. Last week against Cincinnati, he recorded six tackles, three sacks, two hurries and also forced a fumble. This brings Dumervil's season total to 19 sacks and eight forced fumbles.

Alabama's DeMeco Ryans led the Crimson Tide with 11 tackles in their hard fought 6-3 win over Tennesseee. In that game, Ryans also recovered a fumble and came away with an interception. UTEP's underrated outside linebacker Thomas Howard had two tackles behind the line of scrimmage and a sack in the Miners' victory over Marshall.

Texas needed a strong effort from its secondary against the pass-happy Texas Tech Red Raiders. Longhorns safety Michael Huff delivered a big-time performance, finishing with 13 tackles and broke up three passes. Remember, Huff figures to be a cornerback at the next level, which is why he's going to be in the first-round mix next April.

The entire Big Board:

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